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Congrats "West Coast" with a fine looking number line for the games mentioned, and honored for. Sweet stuff.

The presumed 'stuffiness' has been exoneratedand your off down the court 'wings open',and Sammy D> on the sideline singing onceagain, 'who let the dogs out'....>---LA/PHX/Portland on deck. Lets look for Brandon to light up the LA forum (with brief yet real thoughts on what he'd look like in Gold/Purple next season).

If indeed this kidd plays better ball in such areana's would it then not makesense to want to call one of them home? L.A.? Garden? South Beach?----

>Question: ....We know Brandon Jennings is a 'restricted FA' comes seasons end. Meaning of course Milw> can match any team's contract/salary proposal that they might offer Jennings. My question is does BJ have any choice or say in the matter at this timerelative to staying in Milw> or if he desires, another address........OR, does he have to ride this contract timeframe wave out, go to the respective team...then, and only then does he 'earn' the UNrestricted clause; meaning he then has some choices albeit during his next contract time frame?

BJ has power if he wants it. He could take a 1-yr qualifying offer with the Bucks next summer and be unrestricted the following summer (David Lee example). Or he could have his agent construct a poison pill type of contract that would be difficult and/or unwise for the Bucks to match (Jeremy Lin example).

Thanks {zep}.OK...that helps. So...just for example....if BJ does have some desire to play elsewhere, he then can reject say a 3-5 yr. offer from another team's overture thus signing the 'qualifying offer' of one year to appease the condition of the 'restrictred status'. Restricted then meaning that in a scenerio such as this...IF...BJ -doens't like the teams making the offers- and/ordoens't wish to commit a longer term contract with Milw> the One Yr.option is there? Play the year out...then shop>>>***

Pretty sure Brandon will be history. 1. He was insulted that the Bucks didn't lock him in. 2. He has done all the right things and said all the right things, which makes him extremely marketable. But this guy has higher aspirations than Milwaukee. 3. The Bucks need to pay some real money, improve the front office and get a winning coach. Until they show they are ready for the big time instead of just limping along hoping to grab the 6-7-8 playoff spot, they will never sign, or re-sign a big name. 4. The Bradley Center is an embarrassment. I have sat in those godawful folding chairs game after game. It's a hockey arena, plain and simple. Milwaukee deserves better. We have an abysmal baseball team playing in a stadium that was built on our tax dollars. Why not the same for the Bucks?

1...'Insulted'? Maybe? Briefly? This kidd has an impulsive tendency and seems to 'speak-out-quickly' then...waves ashore....finds his inner sea once again calm; better now then to deal with whatever verbal-nuancehe just spawned. Seems to me, 'me', once those 'waves crash', and BJ processed those scenerio's, he is then better able to see all sides.?

This could be his team? I've said from jump-street, that this GM, if not careful, will once again find himself losing a number one pick (see Bogut)because of his inability to build around him.(or at least included within) From 'my eyes' as BJ scans the Milwaukee Landscape I'm sure he and his crew are taking into consideration many things; including this very fact, that this teams personnel is still...chaotic, leading then to a seasonal wheel spin;activity without accomplishment. ****

2....While BJ as been a very good boy in the community and abroad, it is within himself he wrestles with the ability to edit / moniter onceself as illustrated with a kick up conversation with Chris Broussard, for example. (ESPN-last season. All Star Break. Thoughts on playing with seasonal competitors, and being a part of a 'winning' team).

Perfectly fine to think such things, yet, when seated with ESPN and sharing such things, well, fandom doesn't forget. Again, relatively speaking he's been cool. Just every once inawhile something very revealing, ala Jodie Foster, comes out that requires damage control. --- 2a.--'higher asperations'...."When a very popular and successful agent was asked to name about three things that an FA might consider when their time has come to decide on where to sign the agent said, "money....$$$$$....money">*****

Everyone keeps talking/writing like it's a foregone conclusion that Brandon will be running the Laker show next year or some other big market team. Come on now. He's excellent when he's excellent but he's streaky garbage when he's streaky garbage. He still has a lot maturing to do. Would this be his senior year at Arizona now or his rookie year in the NBA if he actually would've went to college? That inconsistency that we've become accustomed to is going to stop big market teams from signing him to huge deals. There's also the issue of his size in a league where the D. Roses and D. Wills are prized.

I really do like him and think he has tremendous upside but look around the league at teams that need a point guard....not too many, and most of them are in places that Brandon wouldn't care for anymore than MKE. Andre Miller's getting old as is Nash. Replace Mo Williams in Utah? He's not taking over Curry's or Paul's spot. Maybe Dallas. Parker, Westbrook, LIn, Rose, Knight, Felton, Conley, Collison are mostly locked in. Point is I don't think there's as big a market for a small flashy point guard as some of you think there is. Stay here and get better. You're young and the Bucks look better than they have in a long time, mostly thanks to you.

A question that once again will be answered with far more accuracy once this franchise decides who's on first (next GM), and who will be on second next season (Coach). Also, very quietly, there maybe more to this 'Kohl has a buyer" then is being let on? Alot of questionslurk n loom' with this franchise. It is somewhat exciting to wonder just what this club looks like come tip off Nov. 2013? *****...$..*****

1- Follow-up to Led's post from earlier, I am (almost) sure Brandon Jennings will need to decide between two very difficult choices. Choice A is "the lights." (Remember Kareem? Shaq?) Choice B is the money. It is possible the Bucks will be willing to pay him more, for longer after just one more season. My guess is that he will take the money for just one season, and then go for "the lights."

2- Comment from previous thread - Someone mentioned that the Bucks should include one of the many P(l)F as part of a Rudy Gay trade. I say..., yes. Include Ersan. Win-win for both teams.

3- Did you see Rudy Gay missing a few dunks and/or "bunnies" against the Bucks very recently. For all I know Gay maybe losing his mojo. That game brought me memories of Gads. His last few seasons with the Bucks saw the rim block some of his dunks...

4- In honor of football fan or his "alter ego." - John Henson is the real deal!!! He should be the next face of the Bucks franchise. Great potential for great things. Hopefully they will let him grow, develop, and flourish.

The "Skiles effect"? If you mean that 'effect' that insists on his players (who by are the way, getting paid to perform such activities i.e. a job) to get their 'best effort' while 'on the job', yes ,that was the Skiles effect.

And by the way, I'm not in anyway suggesting the Bucks didn't do the appropriate thing in dismissing Skiles. There are only 30 NBA head coaching jobs, and Skiles didn't want one of those if it meant coaching the Bucks. His decision or the Bucks decision, I really don't care about Scott Skiles personally.

I did like the emphasis he put on hold players to be accountable. Something some coaches in the NBA find 'to hard to try'. IMO.

I really don't think many of the Skiles backers on this blog particularly thought going out and having a beer with Scott Skiles would be exciting. I do think, however, if they were interested in learning some basketball, he certainly could enlighten them. Maybe his days in the NBA are over, his style maybe a bit to harsh on the highly paid, spoiled NBA athlete.

Nonsense. He'll take this next few months to chill out, and brainstorm with family/agents/etc. on 'whats next' for Camp Skiles? Somewhere in all the articles I read uponhis demise He all but said he was not done coaching. He was just done here. Look around. There are several teams(I'm thinking of the owers now) who would welcome his style. And, (IAT)...I shouldn't have to be telling you this ?

I'm just suggesting that if there is another head coaching job in Scott Skiles' future, it will be one that all parties involved, the ownership, general manager and Skiles himself are extremely comfortable with this time.

It will have to be a team, built and financed to contend. Something the Bucks couldn't offer. Tough job to find that aren't already filled.

Thank you for the clarification by way of expounding.I would agree. We learn much both good and BAD from our experinces. We hope to not duplicate the BADanymore then can be helped. Coach learned much from thisexperience on what NOT to do far too often it seems>>>>>>>>>*****

I'm predicting Bucks play the Lakers tough tonight but lose a close one, then go to Phoenix on Thursday and win for the 1st time since I was a kid. With that being said, please remember I predicted the Bucks beating the Pistons and losing to the Raptors this past weekend......

Lakers are 2-8 with a win last night, prior to six loses in a row.Additionally, they have a TNT Game on Thurs. against Miamithat some of the vets maybe looking ahead to. They are -26th- or so in Pts. Allowed; meaning among other things, put the Bucks on wheels and roll out the arsenal.

This Lakers club is at a place it has not been at in years.The only way the Bucks lose this game is IF they beat themselves. I know that sounds clichish, but, limit T/O,create shots for others, come in with at least 45% FG, and contain the play of Kobe's mates knowing Kobe will have his.

If shooting 45% is a prerequisite for not beating themselves, then pretty much every time the Bucks lost they were just beating themselves.

Kidding aside, the Bucks are 3-8 vs the western conference. The Lakers are 7-5 vs the east. The Lakers are also just getting off the ground with the Nash & Howard combo, with little time together to date including camp & preseason. As far as looking past the Bucks, what is the Lakers' mindset at this particular point of the season?

"After a sixth straight loss Friday against Oklahoma City, D'Antoni declared that the Lakers' season was starting again Sunday against visiting Cleveland."I don't know if it's so literal but at the same time, we realized we don't have time to fall further behind," point guard Steve Nash said. "We can't give away games." "

Kobe: "We obviously ran into a tough patch last week. We were struggling, were decimated by injuries and we just so happened to play some of the top teams in the league," he said. "Now here's an opportunity to really pick it up and get going."

Another fun fact: When Jennings won the initial player of the week this season (based on his dual 13 assist games), he went out next game and shot 6-20 w/ 5 assists.

At seasons end last Coach Skiles made a declarative statement in his request to belet go from his final year. He was saying, in part, he too (like you, and you, and yes...even you) did NOT like the way this team was not only constructed, but, little sign of that changing. He TOO saw the issues with Monta/BJ given the endof the season, and decades of playing the game himself. He knew then that yes, this forumla did not only strike against his norm of what he'd prefer at those positions (but, he's made adjustments before) but, would compromise much of just who he is, and isn't as a coach.

He was in fact...echoing what many here have been saying for the past two seasons. It maybe because of his departure now that the very things -you- were hoping for will come sooner then later? Fascinating? And. Ironic>

I remember saying for a couple years on here that there was no way those two were on the same page. Hammonds was getting players for a different sort of team than the one Scott was trying to coach. The Truth always comes out, doesn't it?

It is interesting how it's all now coming to the surface and at least both parties (Skiles and Hammond) did it in a seemingly respectful way to ensure the team could transition. Hats off to the players too for showing some maturity in wishing Skiles well w/o throwing him under the bus and also giving Boylan a shot (not often common in players).

Maybe this is an unfair assumption but my question is, how did Skiles and Hammond not have this pre-planned? I mean if I'm hiring someone to lead a certain brand of basketball, I would think I could find someone who fit that type of team well. Then again, I realize Hammond was kind of forced into re-building a team that was left in terrible economic shape as well as lacking talent which I think forced some weird trades (trades that beget other trades to the point we had to take someone like Stephen Jackson).

Somewhere in between are one or more parties not being flexible and dynamic enough to coach/GM the team that they had. It's one thing to wish for certain pieces that fit but no small market team is going to get all the pieces so you have to make it work.

Go Henson, future all star. I can't wait to tune in every game to see the young rook continue to develop!!! I was so excited when the Bucks picked Henson. He is the real deal. Who is he, he is John the Henson Beastmaster u C!!!!

Direct from the pages of 'Wingnutt loves to keep beating a dead horse, over and over' from the Bleacher Rapport's 'NBA stars getting worse in 2013' coming in @ #7 right ahead of bLog tRade favorite, Rudy Gay, our very own 'Monstah Mash':

#7"Yet again, Monta Ellis could use a change of scenery.

The Milwaukee Bucks acquired Ellis in hopes of forming a super-quick, high-scoring backcourt with him and Brandon Jennings. What they actually created was a talented but extremely flawed duo that just doesn't function properly together.

Of the two, Ellis has struggled more. The volume scorer is as inefficient as ever, putting up 18.8 points on just under 40 percent shooting. He has also lost his effectiveness from beyond the arc, hitting on only 25 percent of his three-point attempts.

That wouldn't be so terrible if Ellis weren't such a one-dimensional player. His three turnovers per game diminish the impact of his 5.4 assists per game, and his 1.7 steals are the product of opportunistic but fundamentally unsound defense.

But perhaps the bigger issue for Ellis is playing alongside Jennings, another diminutive guard who shoots early and often. The Bucks are holding themselves back by playing both together, and Ellis' regression is Exhibit A as to why."

<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Did Special Kstein Big 13 and 1 mistake Anthony Mason for Anthony Hopkins in his Golden Globe Rapport the other day?? If so, that would be a 'Norm Crosby Slip' of epic proportions?

In the context of sharing a *Claire Forlani* reference I did mention"Meet Joe Black" in which Anthony Hopkins plays Claire's father.If I typed Mason it was merely a slip of the finger (vs. tongue).---I think many of us refer to the A. Mason era as the Post-Big-Threeend of what should have been many years running. Mason / Glove. Too bad. So very sad>***